Paper-conditioning apparatus



Feb, 28, 1928. 1,660,901 J. B. WILLSEA PAPER CONDITIONI NG APPARATUS Filed April 18, 1927 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jasper B M/lsea.

Feb. 28, 1928.

J. B. WILLSEA PAPER CONDITIONING APPARATUS 8, 1927 3 Sheets-sheet 2 Filed April 1 =1 1 Fwd. L h 2 m & -11 1 I w uumunnflHHHHMHM n H8 NU- e \T\\ I. L I I N. z II I k h d T Lo. u

Feb. 28, 1928. 1,660,901

J. B. WILLSEA PAPER CONDITIONING APPARATUS Flled Aprll 18 1927 .3 Sheets-Sheet. 3

nucntoz llsea.

i a a e e a V W Chrome Patented Feb. 28, 1928.

Jasmin B. WILLSEA, or ROCHESTER, New YORK.

PAIEB-CONDITIONING APPARATUS.

Application filed April 18, 1927. Serial No. 184,477.

The object of this invention is to provide a new and improved form of machine for conditioning printing or lithographing. The object is more especially to bring the paper to the same moisture content as the air of the printing room to which it will be exposed during the printing operation so that it will neither give out moisture or take up moisture during the printing operation.

This and other features. of the invention will be illustrated-in the drawing, described in the specification, and pointed out in the claims at the end thereof. 1

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation of the complete machine.

. Figure 2 is plete machine. 1 i

Figure3 is an enlarged side elevation of the complete machine shown in Figure 1 with the intermediate part of the machine broken away so as to show the end portions of the machine on large scale.

Figure 4 is an enlarged detail view of the upper right handcorner of the machine shown in Figures 1 and 3.

Figure 5 is an enlarged detail View of the lower right hand corner of the machine shown in Figure 3;

Figure 6 an enlarged detail view of the upper left hand corner of the machine shown in l igures 1 and 3.

Figure 7 an end elevation of the comis a top plan view of two of the cross bars placed side by side as they would be seen looking down on the machine.

Figure 8 is a vertical section on the line 8-8* in Fig. 3.

In the drawings like reference numerals indicate like parts.

In the printing operation, paper is usually fed from a large pile of paper into either the printing press or onto the lithographing stone. It i s desirable to have the paper contain the same moisture content as the atmosphere of thcroom in which the printing is to be done that the paper will not ab sorb or give up moisture duringthe printing operat on. If it absorbs moisture or gives up moisture during the printing opera tion. the paper will not lie flat on the type or the stone or plate, but will curl and the length and breadth of the paper may change as well ca using a distortion of the print or causing the consecutive colors to fail to regpaper that is to be used for' ister with each other, which registry is necessary in a lithographic process.

The ob ect of my invention is to provide a compact machine in which the sheets of vented.

In the drawings reference numeral 1 indicates the motor by which the machine is driven. 2 indicates the belt and 3 indicates the reducing gear and 4 indicates achain driven thereby. 5 indicates ashaft supported on the frame of the machine by which the power is applied to the machine. The frame of the machine comprises upright posts 6, 7, 8 and 9 joined together at top and bottom and intermediately by a suitable frame work of angle iron and channels as best suits the purpose. The shaft 5 extends clea-r across the machine as shown in Figure 2 and has a sprocket thereon near each end thereof which drives the chainslO, 10 which in turn drive the short shafts 11 at the top of the machine on which are carried the sprocket wheels 12, 12 by which the chains are. engaged. On each ofthe chains are carried two groups of jawsfor a purpose that will presently be described.

At the top of the machine and at the intermediate parts as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 are arranged two pairs of channel irons 13 such as is shown in vertical section in Figure 8. These channel irons 13 act as runways and extend the length of the machine. These channel irons 13, 13 support the carrier bars 14, 1 1 such as are shown in Figure 7 which carrier bars extend across the machine as shown in Fig. 2, the opposite ends of the carrier bars restingin the supporting channels 13. It will be understood that the channels at the top of the machine as shown in Figure 1 arefilled with or have a comlete complement of these supporting bars and the channels at the intermediate portions of the machine as shown in Figure '1 are filled with or have a complete complement of these supporting bars. The carrier bars at the top of the machine move to the right as showndoy the arrow at the top of the machine and the carrier bars in the intermediate part of the machine move tothe left as shown by the.arrow .in themid-p0rtion of the machine. "These carrier bars do not rotate. They are each provided with a pair of clips 15 by which a certain number of sheets of paper are .il11II1'g:O1 suspended from each of the carrier bars. Each car- "rier 'bar is :also provided with a pair of collars 16, 16 which keep the bars spaced apart uni formlyythe collars being of sufficient "diameter to secure this result. The object is to 'give the sheets of paper suspended "from the clips ample opportunity to spread outer separate from each other so as to :permit the air to workin between and either absorb moisture from :the paper, or g'ive up moisture to the paper so that the paper may be bronght1tothe correctmoisture eontent dnring the time that it moves from theupper left hand cornerot the niaehine shown in Figure 1 to the right hand end of the machine and then down to the -lowergpart-of the machinezand then baek to the lower left hand'cornerotthe machine shown in Figure 1.

l he ends of thecarrier :bars 114 are supported in *rolleribearings which: are provided with collars '17, 17 between which and "the ends of the bars a series of balls is interposed. The collars 17 are made slightly smaller than the collars 16 so as to avoid frictional-contact with each other. Because 'of thisanditheroller bearings used, the bars 1'4 with the load of paper carried thereby are moved through the machine with the least mechanical effort.

Theitwo"end upright sections of the frame of the machine are tiedtogether by the tie rods -18, 18 which extend diagonally :between the far corners of the *machine and cross-each other at the middle of the machine.

As'above described, power is supplied to the machine .by the sprocket chain 4- and shaft 5 which in turn drives the sprocket chains 10, '10 and the shaft 11 at the 'top of the'machine. iGntheend-of the-shaft 11 is a bevelgearlS):which meshes with a similar "beveled gear 20 on the end of a shaft 21 which runs the length at the machine as shown at the'topbf "Figure :1. On the left hand end 'of-this "shaft isa similar beveled gear22 which I meshes with vthe beveled gear 23 I carried 'onthe shaft 24 shown at the 11p per left hand cornerzof Figures 1 and 3. This shaft 24 carries sprocket wheels 12 which drive -upright chains '10, :10 which sprocket-chains in turn drives :the sprocket Wheels 12 at the-bottom of :the :machine as shown'at the left'of F igure3.

"It willalso be seen that the chains 10, 10 at'the left of the Figure .3 carry therlifting fingers 25 and the chains 10, 10 at the right of Figure 3 carry thejaws 28 and .29 one member of which is on oiielink and the other member is on the next link and the jaws open as they pass around the sprocket and close when they get beyond the sprocket. It-willbe understood that the pair of sprocket wheels at the lower left hand corner of the :machine and .at the upper right hand corner of the machine as shown in Figure 3 are carried'on short shaits or-studs-and not by a single long shaft for the reason that a Figure 3 that the chain .on the deft hand side oft-he figure is lon 'er than the-chain on the right hand side of the figure. The chainon the right handside of the figure is provided with two pairs of jawsone of which pairs will receive a bar atthe top of the machine for each bar-that the other pair discharges at-the bottom. The chain on the left hand-side of the figure is "provided with two sets of figures one of which will receive a bar at thebottom for each 'barithat the other set discharges at the top. The fingers on the onechain must synchronize with or 'keep in step with the .jaws on the other chain, so that as a bar is pushed "in at one end of the channels,a 'bar can be taken away from theother end of the channels and itis alsonecessary to have the chain at the left hand end of the machineas shown in Figures 1 and longer than the chain shown at the right hand end ofthemachine. To make this possible and keep the chains in step, athe chains themselves are provided with links which are of the same lengthor the same distance between the 'centerssin the several chains but the sprocketwheels on the left hand side of the machine have one or moreteeth in'them than the sprocket wheels on the right hand end of the machine, so thatwith the same angular velocity of the sprocket wheels on'both ends ot'the machine. the sprocket chains on the left hand end of the machine will travel faster than the sprocket chains on the'right hand end ofthe machine, each set of chains making a half revolutionin exactly the same time. In this way the chains and the carrying devices thereon are kept in step, and the machine operates to transfer the bars withoutinterference.

:It will .also be understood that the thorizontal channels at the "top of the machine are not parallel with the horizontal channels at the intermediate part of the machine. The top channels slope down to the right, and the lower channels slope down to the left causing the bars to move that much easier because they move to that extent by gravity. This also causes the chains 10 at the left of the machine to be somewhat longer than the chains 10 at the right of the machine.

The operation of the machine is as follows:

The sheets of paper are fed into the ma chine at the lower left hand corner of Figure 1. Ordinarily about 50 sheets of 3 point paper are clamped in each pair of clamps 15 on a bar 14 shown at the bottom of Figure 3, and the paper hangs suspended from these clamps being fastened only at the top. If thicker paper is used a smaller number of sheets will be hung or suspended from each pair of clamps. If thinner paper is usedthe number of sheets will be correspondingly increased it having been found by experience that .15 in the thickness of the paper is about the proper net thickness of the paper to be-supported by each pair of clamps. The clamps or bars are spaced between centers by the collars 16 by about 2". This permits the sheets of paper to open up and let the air work in between them. As above stated the paper is fed into the machines at the lower left hand corner of Figures 1 and 3. The chains 10 move up on the inside and carry the fingers 25, which engage under the bar 14 between the rollerbearings 17 and the collar 16 and carries the bar up to the upper pair of channels at which point it is pushed off by the cam 26, which is carried on the upright arm 30 which swings on the stud 31. The weighted arm 32 is attached thereto and forms a bell crank lever therewith. When the bar 14 is pushed up, the cam 26 yields until the bar is opposite the channels and then the cam 26 swings forward and pushes the bar into the channels. The finger 25 is bent down at an angle of 45 degrees on the ends, that is just beyond where it contacts with the bar 14. This permits the bar to move off the finger easily due to the pressure of the cam 26. During their upward travel, the bars 14 are guided and held in place on the fingers by the upright channels 27 which engage the collars of the roller-bearings on the ends of the bars. When the bars are discharged into the horizontal channels at the top of the machine, each bar pushes the bars ahead of it. As the channels are full of bars, when a bar is pushed in at the left hand upper corner of the machine as shown in Figure 1, a similar bar is pushed out ofthe channels at the upperright hand corner of the machine as shown in Figures 1 and ,3, and at that moment the jaws 28 and 29 carried on the chains 10 are spread apart to receivet-he bar and carry it around the sprocket wheels 12 as shown in Fig. 4 after which it is carried down to the position shown in Fig. 5 where it is finally discharged into the lower pair of channels. 1

The lower pair of channels are full of the bars 14 just as are the upper pair of channels so that when a bar 14 is pushed into the lower pair of channels at the right, a similar bar is pushed out of the channels at the left hand end onto the chains 10 to be carried up as above described. The conditioned paper is removed from the clamps at the point marked :20 in Figure 1 and another supply of paper is placed in the clamps at this point,it being understood that the paper is not removed from the machine until it has passed completely around the machine which passage of the paper takes about two hours or more in all.

At the discharge end of the lower channels a brake shoe 40 is provided which has agroove or recess therein that engages with the collar 17 and holds the end roller in place at that place in the end of the channel and prevents the bar from moving into lifting position until another bar is pushed into the channel at the other end. The brake shoe is helped by the weight 41 which presses on it for this purpose.

The air with which the sheets of paper are'conditioncd is blown against the paper from the air duct 100 by means of a cap 101. A series of longitudinal slots 102 are provided in the top of this duct with a flange 103 on each side thereof so as to direct the air againstthe sheets of paper suspended above the duct.

I claim:

1. In a paper conditioning ap iiaratus, the combination of a series of paper supporting bars, a supporting collar mounted at each end of each of said supporting bars and allow the supporting bars to freely rotate between them, two pair of guide channels superimposed to each other and adapted to receive said supporting collars and allow them to roll. therein from one end to the other-end thereof with said suspension rods held freely suspended between them, means provided atone end of said pair of channels toelevate the supporting bars with their supporting collars from the lower pair of guide channels to the upper pair of guide channels and means provided at the other end of said pair of guide channels to lower the supporting bars with their supporting collars from the upper pair of guide channels to the lower pair of guide channels.

2. In a paper conditioning apparatus, the

combination of a series of paper suspending bars, a roller at each end of each of said suspendlng bars and mounted to freely 1'0 tate thereon, two pair of guide channels adapted to support said rollers with the suspending. bars located between said guide channels and allow said suspending bars to move trom one end, of each pair of guide channels to the other end thereof with said suspension bars held in a predetermined position between them, one or said pair of guide channels being located above the other of said guide channels and means for elevating said suspending bars with their rollers from the lower pair of guide channels to the upper pair of guide channels and means for lowering said suspending bars and their rollers from the upper pair of guide channels to the lower pair of guide channels at the opposite end of'said guide channels.

3. In a paper conditionin apparatus, the combination of a series of paper suspending bars, anti-friction rollers supporting the ends of each of said suspending bars, a spacing collar on each of said suspending bars adapted to prevent the frictional contact between consecutive anti-friction rollers, a pair of guide channels supporting said antitriction rollers, means for placing a suspension bar with its anti-friction rollers into said guide channels at the front end thereof and means for picking up the suspension rod with its anti-friction roller at the rear end of said guide chamber dis placed by the insertion of a suspension rod at the front end of the guide channels.

In a paper conditioning apparatus, the combination of two pair of parallel channels located above each other, the upper pair of channels being inclined in one direction and the lower pair of channels being inclined in the opposite direction, suspension rods located between each pair of channels, anti-friction rollers at the outer ends of said suspension rods, said anti-friction IOllers adapted to roll in said channels and supporting the ends of said suspension rods in said channels, means for spacing said rollers from one another in said channels to provide a free rolling movement of said anti-friction rollers in said pair of channels, a friction member at the end of one of said channels engaging said suspension rod retarding the movement of said anti-friction rollers in the direction of the incline of said channels, and means for withdrawing a. suspension rod troni one of each of said pair 0t channels and transferring it to the other of-said channels.

5. In a paper conditioning apparatus, the combination of two series of suspension rods supported one above the other series, means at one end of said two series of suspension rods for transferring one of said suspension rods from the lower series of suspension rods to the upper series of suspension rods and means at the other end of said series of sus pension rods for transterring one of the suspension rods of the upper series tot-he lower series of suspension rods, supporting rollers at each end of said suspension rods and spacing means between consecutive supporting rollers to provide a tree rolling movement of said supporting rollers with said suspension rods supported between them.

6. In a paper conditioning apparatushaving paper suspension rods for suspending paper sheets and supported intwo superimposed series, the combination of a transfer mechanism comprising an endless chain, a linger carried on-one of said endless chains adapted to pick up one of said suspension rods and raise it to a higher level, a downwardly inclined extension on said finger'and a deflecting finger vcooperating with said downwardly projecting extension of said finger on said endless chain to brush off and move away the suspension rod elevated by said endless chain.

7. In a paper conditioning apparatus having paper suspension rods for suspending paper sheets and means for supporting said paper suspending rods in two superimposed series, the combination of an endless chain comprising a series of links at one end of said series of suspensionrods, an outwardly projecting and upwardly curved jaw. carried on one of the links of said endless chain, a second jaw carried on the succeeding link of said endless chain, said jaws being adapted to have their outer ends separate from each other ateach end of said endless chain to receive or deposit a suspension rod, said jaws also being adapted to have their outer ends brought together during their travel from one end of said endless chain to the other to lock the suspension rod in place between them.

8. In a. vpaper conditioning apparatus, the combination of two series of suspension rods supported one above the other series, means at one end-of said'two series of suspension rods for transferring one of said suspension rods from the lower series of suspension rods to the upper series of suspension rods and means at the other end of said series of suspension rods for transferring one of the suspension rods of the upper series to the lower series of suspension rods, a gripping member carried by each ofsaid suspension rod adapted to hold a sheet of paper suspending from said suspension rods, an air duct located below'the series of suspension,

rods having a series of parallel longitudinal slots in the top thereof, flanges on each side of the slots in said duct, and means for forcing air from said slots in said air duct past the sheets suspended from the lower series of suspension rods and the paper sheets suspended therefrom onto the sheets of paper suspended from the upper series of suspension rods. Y

9. In a paper conditioning apparatus, the combination of a pair of inclined runways mounted above each other and inclined in opposite direction to each other, a series of suspension rods placed side by side in each of said runways, spacing members carried by said suspension rods, rolling members supporting said suspension rods in said runways, an endless chain mounted to rotate at each end of said pair of inclined runways, and n'ieans carried by one of said endless chains to pick up asuspension rod at the end of the lower runway and raise it to the end of the upper runway to displace a suspension rod out of the upper runway in engagement with the other of said endless chains and lower this suspending rod so displaced from the upper to the lower runway to displace a suspension rod in the lower runway.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

JASPER B. WILLSEA. 

